Cost Benefit Analysis

HIPERPAV can be used to minimize early-age PCCP cracking. In the following cost benefit analysis,  the cost of ½ % early-age PCC cracking is evaluated for a typical paving day and the numbers computed are scaled up nationally to show yearly potential savings with the use of HIPERPAV.

The following costs were provided by a paving contractor in the MidWest:

• Typical cost of new PCCP: $30.00/sy
• Typical cost of PCCP removal and replacement: $200.00/sy

Estimating the cost of ½ % early-age cracking for a typical PCCP construction day:

• Length: 3000 ft (1000 yd)
• Paving width: 36 ft (12 yd)
• Area: 1000 * 12 = 12,000 sy

• New PCCP cost = $ 360,000/day
• Cost of cracked slabs (0.5%) = $ 1,800/day
• Remove and replace cost = $12,000/day

Estimating the cost of using HIPERPAV:

• 1 technician at $60/hr
• Time running the software: 4h per day to gather inputs, run, create and file reports
• Total cost of running HIPERPAV = $60/hr * 4 hr = $ 240/day

In summary, the cost of running the software would be $240/day with potential savings of $12,000/day at a benefit-cost ratio (BCR) of 0.98.

In reality, not every single PCCP project ends up with 0.5% cracking, some projects may successfully avoid cracking, while others may result in higher amounts of cracking. However, preventing a single crack from occurring (1 slab ~ 20 sy) can save approximately $4000 over $240/day running HIPERPAV.

Applying the above calculations for all PCCP placed in the US (estimates for 2006 based on ACPA Pavement Market Quarterly):

PCCP Construction costs (2006 Q1-Q4): $ 2,513,210,000
Estimated cost of cracked slabs (0.5%) = $ 12,566,050
Estimated Cost of removal and replacement = $ 83,773,667
Potential savings using HIPERPAV to prevent cracking = $ 82,098,193 /year
(at a BCR=0.98)

It must be emphasized that this analysis does not take into account additional benefits such as reduction in project time and/or user delays due to the reduction in PCCP removal and replacement operations.

Potential savings per state are presented below (click on the image to view):

Potential Savings: Based on PCCP Construction from ACPA, Pavement Market Quaterly, Vol 8.1, Oct-Dec 2006